The good people at Niu’s on Silom Jazz Club & Wine Bar are ready to put on a show. A big show, a REALLY big show. It’s so BIG it’s going to have to be held outside the club. It’s so VERY BIG you may have already gotten some of the advance word, but let me do this right and give you the full announcement:

On December 11th and 12th, 2009, the open-air courtyard at Baan Silom Arcade will be transformed into a “dream of jazz, blues, and world music” for Niu’s 1^st International Bangkok Jazz Festival!

This is the single biggest event with which Enlightened Planet has ever been involved, and we are finally able to live up to our long-standing company vision and present jazz, blues, and world music, all in one major event.

Enlightened Planet is directly responsible for four of the international acts at the festival, all of which are making their first ever appearance in Thailand: 2009 Blues Music Awards Acoustic Artist of the Year Eden Brent on piano and vocals, the ultimate acoustic roots blues duo of Phil Wiggins and Corey Harris, the electric groove-oriented jazz of super saxman Chris Potter and his Underground quartet featuring Adam Rogers, Scott Colley, and Nate Smith, and the soulful sound of Cameroon-born jazz bassist and vocalist Richard Bona and his group.

The festival will also feature Thailand’s own Koh Mr. Saxman, a fusion of jazz and ethnic music with Francois Lindemann and Tewan Sapsangyakorn, rising British piano star Gwilym Simcock with his trio, and American sax sensation James Carter with his organ trio.

These are going to be two great evenings out: the cool night air of a Bangkok December, comfortable seating for 400 music lovers, fine wines, delicious food, and the famous hospitality of Niu’s on Silom… and, of course, a splendid variety of music from around the world guaranteed to clear your mind, stir your heart, and free your soul! And you’re not going to find that anywhere else…

There has already been an excellent article in the Bangkok Post about this event. Over the next few days I will provide more information about these fine artists and their music.

Tickets for the Niu’s 1^st International Bangkok Jazz Festival are available through ThaiTicketMajor and their associated outlets, or by contacting Niu’s on Silom Jazz Club & Wine Bar on 02-2665333 or at reservation@niusonsilom.com. Tickets are 3500 THB for one night, or 6000 THB for a two-night pass.

Ari Hoenig is a drummer and bandleader who is truly making a huge name for himself in the highly competitive New York jazz scene, and winning audiences over worldwide. In 2008, Ari put on a virtuoso display in Bangkok with pianist Jean-Michel Pilc. This year, fresh from a tour of Australia, Ari returns with a totally different lineup for two nights at Niu’s on Silom Jazz Club & Wine Bar: the Ari Hoenig Quartet featuring Gilad Hekselman, Jamie Oehlers, and Orlando Le Fleming.

“One of the most promising jazz percussionists of his generation, Ari Hoenig is worth watching.” – All Music Guide

He is, first and foremost, a remarkable musician who happens to play the drums. His phenomenal sense of rhythm and polyrhythm and his ability to take over the melody from behind the kit are simply an exhilirating experience to see in person.

“Ari Hoenig is drumming’s new resourceful shining light – his drums dance and flirt with the soloist like few you’ll hear.” – All About Jazz

Over the past year he has put together a top-notch international group to bring his musical ideas to life, including 2005 Gibson Montreux International Guitar Competition winner Gilad Hekselman, 2007 Australian Jazz Musician of the Year Jamie Oehlers on saxophone, and Britain’s Orlando Le Fleming on bass. Whether they’re adding a post-bop twist to a Gershwin tune, putting their signature on a Coltrane standard, or soaring through an original Ari Hoenig composition, you’ll enjoy the freshness of the sound and feel the passion and excitement of the artists. This is music for purists and adventurers alike!

“The payoff arrives in this band without much delay. The set started with a Thelonius Monk tune, which Mr. Hoenig has thoroughly altered, with a highly rearranged theme and extra arrangements to frame the solos. Mr. Hekselman, playing complex chords with extended harmony, moved his solo toward a peak. About two minutes in the audience began yelling.” – New York Times

Join us on November 4th and 5th at Niu’s on Silom Jazz Club & Wine Bar at 9:30pm for the exclusive presentation of the Ari Hoenig Quartet. Tickets available through ThaiTicketMajor, or by calling Niu’s on Silom on (02) 266-5333.

Ari Hoenig (born on November 13, 1973 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), is a jazz drummer, composer and educator known for his unusual and intense approach to drumming emphasizing complex rhythms in direct harmony with other group members.

Hoenig is also known for his unique ability to modify the pitch of a drum by using drum sticks, mallets, and even parts of his body (such as his hands and elbows). Using this technique, he can play any note in the chromatic scale, virtually any melody, and even improvise on a chord structure in the same way as any other instrumentalist would.

Hoenig has released 6 CDs as a bandleader, and has performed or recorded with jazz greats Mike Stern, Joshua Redman, Herbie Hancock, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Richard Bona, Dave Liebman, Chris Potter, Toots Thielemans, Dave Holland, Joe Lovano, Pat Metheny, and Pat Martino, among others.

Gilad Hekselman studied classical piano from age six to nine in his native Israel, before taking up the guitar. By age 12 he was a regular performer on a weekly children’s television show. In 2005, at the age of 22, he won the Gibson Montreux International Guitar Competition, which opened doors for him at jazz festivals around the world. After moving full-time to New York he’s been able to perform with top jazz talents like Chris Potter, John Scofield, Gretchen Parlato, Sam Yahel, Anat Cohen, Jeff Ballard, and Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts. He has also released two CDs as a band-leader, Split Life and Words Unspoken, and is set to participate in an all-star jazz release this year called Disney Jazz.

Recognized as one of Australia’s leading jazz musicians, Jamie Oehlers was the winner of the White Foundation World Saxophone Competition at Montreux Jazz Festival in 2003. He was won numerous other awards in Australia, has performed at jazz festivals around the world, and in the past year has played gigs in the US, Great Britain, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and the Philippines. He has performed with international artists such as Charlie Haden, Ronnie Scott, Cindy Blackman, Jamie Cullum, and Eric Harland, and has created eight CDs as a bandleader. When he is not performing he is the Coordinator of Jazz Studies at the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts.

Englishman Orlando Le Fleming was torn between a love for cricket and a passion for music, right up until he received a place at London’s Royal Academy of Music, which seemed to settle the matter for the time being. He quickly established himself as one of the UK’s most prominent bass players, in demand from both local British artists and from visiting international stars. He’s performed with the bright lights of British jazz such as Jason Rebello, Iain Ballamy, and Guy Barker, and with touring US musicians such as Branford Marsalis, Bill Charlap, George Coleman, and Dave Liebman. After moving to New York he joined Jane Monheit’s band for three years, and continued to build a strong reputation by performing with Billy Cobham, Joey Calderazzo, and David Sanchez.